Scaffolding



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

EUGENE DUCHAMP, OF ST. MARTINSV ILLE, LOUISIANA.

SCAFFOLDIN Gr.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 26,840, dated January 17, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE DUCHAMP, of St. Martinsville, in the parish of St. Martins and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Scaffolding; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure 1 represents an end view of the scaffolding erected in front of a house, shown in red lines. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing the construction of the scaffold. Fig. 3 is a top view showing the application of a bracket to a round pole.

This invention is an improvement in hang ing and supporting scaffolds for builders, painters, carpenters, plasterers, and other work in which ladders cannot be practically employed; so that the scaold will be held, or secured in a perfectly steady position near the building which is to be repaired, and, at the same time, so that the foot boards can be readily adjusted to any height required without using either ropes or nails for sustaining the parts together.

A A represent the vertical poles which may be either round or square as found convenient; these are set the required distance from t-he house to be repaired or pointed, and upon them are placed the bracket-blocks, B B, which are placed at intervals on the poles, and exactly opposite each other, and may be adjusted up or down as occasion requires. The brackets, B, have a strong metel strap, C, pivoted to each, which is made sufficiently large to encompass the poles, A, and which is hung in notches, D, cut on the opposite side of the pole to the bracket, or, instead of notches, pieces may be nailed on, which will serve the same purpose. The straps when placed upon the poles, and a pressure put upon the brackets, hang diagonally to the poles, and the greater this pressure upon the brackets the more securely will they be clamped to the poles. These brackets have square recesses, E, into which are placed the ends of horizontal cross-ties, F, the ties having notches in each end which fit over the brackets, and insure the poles, or scaffold against lateral strain. The braces, upon which the staging or footboards rest, lay upon these ties, F, and are fixed to the side of the house, as shown by Fig. 1, in the usual manner. In employing these brackets with round poles such as are generally used for scaffolding a groove will be cut on the surface coming in contact with the pole, as shown by Fig. 3, otherwise the brackets are constructed and attached to the poles as above specified.

The usual method of securing the cross ties to the poles is to nail or tie them with ropes. But both of these plans are to a certain extent insecure. Then ropes are used the staging has a tendency to swing owing to the yielding of the cords; and nails are liable to snap or break by any sudden jarring. Scaffolds erected under either method are often rendered insecure by the strain upon the connections during high winds or by the extension or contraction occasioned by rain or moisture and by inadvertently placing an unusual weight upon them. The erection of the scaffold or the changing of the height of its platforms is also a slow and laborious operation, as each part must be carefully fitted and duly secured. If nails are employed the cross ties are soon destroyed by the frequent driving, so that there is a constant expense for lumber and hardware; the poles are also much weakened by the repeated boring of the nails. All of these objections are overcome by my improvement and a number of additional advantages are secured. v

I require no ropes or nails; my scaffold is readily removed, erected, or the level `of its platforms adjusted; none of the parts or fastenings can become loose or broken by exposure either to wind or moisture like the common scaifolds; in my improvement the addition of weight tends to bind or hold the supporting brackets more tightly against the poles, thus strengthening the connections when the weight is augmented. My improvement is also self fastening; the gravity of the brackets B, and the lateral action of straps C, tending to draw or hold the brackets firmly against the poles; the gravity of the cross ties F, also assists to carry the brackets against the poles; and the said cross ties being notched, also by their own gravity keep themselves in place, without other fastening, and at the same time brace the poles laterally in the strongest manner. No ropes, nails, etc., being required, my improvement is more durable and safer than the ordinary scaifolds. Many lives are annually lost by the falling of the common scafolds; I believe that the gen- I do claimL as new and desire to secure by eral introducing of Iny improvementV WouldY Letters Patent, isbe a great boon both to employers andvvork- 'f The arrangement and combination with 15 men. Its use would diminish the danger. of the cross ties/F, and poles A, of the adjust- 5 elevated or 'outside Work, thus rendering able brackets B, and straps C, substantially this class of labor cheaper. as and for the purpose herein shown and Movable strapped brackets are very old, described.

being used upon lifting jacks, Carpenters clamps, and Inany other devices. I do not EUGENE DUCHAMP 'lo claim broadly to' be the inventor thereof; Witnesses:

but R. S. SPENGER,`

I-Iaving thus described my invention what J. W. CooMBs. 

